Employment and wages in Texas’ natural gas and oil industry continued to surge upward in the first quarter, according to new analysis by the Texas Oil and Gas Association (TXOGA).

Direct employment in the industry rose 8.1% year/year to 482,557 jobs, according to the TXOGA report based on U.S. Census Bureau and Texas Workforce Commission data.

Industry wages showed even stronger growth, rising 22% y/y to about $19.5 billion, versus $16 billion in 1Q2022.

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“Employment in Texas’ oil and natural gas industry expanded for an eighth consecutive quarter, and the Q1 2023 growth rate of 8.1% y/y stood among the strongest 15% of all quarters...